Omar Yaghi and the 2025 Nobel Prize: KAUST celebrates the historic Saudi achievement

In an exceptional scientific and national event, the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) today celebrated Professor Omar Munis Yaghi, the 2025 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, who has become the first Saudi scientist to receive this prestigious award. This honor recognizes his revolutionary contributions to the establishment and development of reticular chemistry and his pivotal role as supervisor of the Joint Center of Excellence in Nanomaterials for Clean Energy Applications, a collaboration between KACST and the University of California, Berkeley.

Global scientific leadership supported by the leadership

The ceremony was attended by His Excellency the Mayor of the city, Dr. Munir bin Mahmoud Al-Dasouqi, who emphasized the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's commitment to recognizing outstanding national minds who raise the nation's flag in international forums. In his address, Professor Omar Yaghi expressed his appreciation for the unwavering support provided by the wise leadership—may God protect them—to the research and innovation system. He affirmed that this empowerment has created a fertile environment for scientists to achieve significant breakthroughs, and that investing in national talent is the cornerstone that has placed the Kingdom among the scientifically advanced nations, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.

What is retinal chemistry? And why is this achievement important?

To understand the magnitude of Professor Yaghi's achievement, one must consider the scientific context of his work. Yaghi is considered the father of "lattice chemistry," a science concerned with linking molecules to build complex, open structures known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent-organic frameworks (COFs). These materials are characterized by extremely high porosity, making them ideal for vital applications that benefit all of humanity.

The strategic importance of this science lies in its ability to provide radical solutions to pressing global problems, such as:

• Extracting water from the air: Yagi techniques allow for the collection of potable water from atmospheric humidity even in arid desert environments.
• Carbon capture: These materials play a crucial role in purifying the air and reducing carbon emissions, supporting the Kingdom’s and the world’s efforts to combat climate change (Saudi Green Initiative).
• Energy storage: Developing more efficient hydrogen batteries and storage solutions.

Artificial intelligence and the future of materials

The celebration wasn't limited to personal recognition; it extended to honoring future innovation. Dr. El-Desouki and Professor Yaghi recognized the winning teams in the "Artificial Intelligence Materials Discovery Hackathon," reflecting the new global trend of integrating artificial intelligence with basic sciences to accelerate discoveries.

The first place was won by the (NajdGenesis-Al) team for their innovative project for a Saudi platform that uses generative artificial intelligence to create biomaterials for capturing carbon dioxide, while the (Fabricator.ai) team came in second for a system for manufacturing metal-organic structures, and the (Prime-MOF) team came in third with a project for predicting the stability of sustainable materials.

Inspiration for future generations

The events concluded with an inspiring dialogue session that brought together Professor Yaghi with a select group of talented students and young researchers. During the session, he reviewed his journey, filled with challenges and achievements, offering lessons in patience and scientific perseverance. Yaghi emphasized the importance of building a solid scientific foundation in the early stages, asserting that the current generation of Saudi researchers has a golden opportunity to lead the global scientific landscape thanks to the immense resources the Kingdom provides today.